Monday, 3 December 2007

Growing up with Maalie (part one)

Two things have happened recently. The Musician has flogged me his redundant scanner and I had some positive feedback about Maalie from my last post. Now you might not think these two things are related, but ... the scanner has enabled me to get some old photos onto the computer. Let's go:

This is probably the first ever photograph of the famous TV star of 'The Nature of Britain' in the arms of his Mum. We move on to small boy with little sister:

I always looked up to my big brother. After all, he was taller than me. As children we did a lot together, dammed streams, climbed trees, explored the countryside, went on cycle rides and generally had a happy, carefree childhood.

This was after our father pushed young Maalie into the sea off Canvey Island. He was scratting away in the sand and it all got too much for my father. He couldn't resist giving him a shove.

He grew into Maalie the fisherman.

We had many really lovely holidays on Gower in South Wales.

Maalie the rugby hero. I remember going along to the Grammar School to watch him play for the 1st XV. He thought I was going to cheer him on. Oh no. I was going to watch all those lovely 6th formers with their muscular thighs, the mud, the scrums ... oh oh oh ... Beckwith, Andrews, McGill- where are you now?

Maalie's interests were never ending. He took up horse riding in a big way.

For those who ask, my tv appearance was no big deal. There is currently a tv wildlife series called "The Nature of Britain" that covers different habitat types each week. I was featured for a short time to demonstrate my research work on Marsh Tits in Cumbria.

For those who want to find out about the programme, it is a BBC production called The Nature of Britain introduced by a charming man called Alan Titchmarsh, who is also a superb gardener and has gardening programmes too. Alan is a very ordinary sort of bloke, down to earth and quite unassuming.

Great. I too must dig out some old photos, but I didn't exist as long ago as you guys did. I genuinely love looking at these types of windows to the past.And I must say, Lorro, your bathing costume was awfully daring for the 1930's.

ChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmas.There. Can I go home now, it's really dark.

Simon: He was ALWAYS a runcible man. He just continues as he always did. He used to take young ladies down to Mersea Island on an incoming Spring tide knowing full well the island gets cut off for five our six hours at a time. Huh.Lorenzo.

Tell Scaredy that once Plumpy is on my lap I doubt there will be room for anyone else. However, Beeps shyly asked me if I thought Scaredy would be happy to snuggle with her in front of the fire with some of Magdalene's mice pies.

Oh dear, the mice pies are off this year; literally. There they were all lined up on the kitchen table waiting for the oven to warm up, I turn my back for five minutes and hey presto they're gone. Now I shall have to put up with unpleasant squeaking and munching sounds for the next three nights. Clearly not enough brandy!

R. dear, I think it's going to be ok because there are some large black and white birds that clatter about on my roof every morning. Apparently my mag-pies are almost as good as my mice pies. I must just remember to drink the brandy after I climb up on the roof, not before.

Madgalene, mag-pies sound good too, Elbi is licking her whiskers at the thought. However, if you'd prefer not to chance the roof and just go straight for the booze, she's a dab hand/paw at the old mice catching business. I can start throwing her offerings in the freezer for you and by the 21st we should have enough for a feast.

Plumpy, you missed the invitation for a winter solstice bonfire on the 21st at mine. Scaredy's coming so you'll have to pop over too. Boozy mice pies all round!

I wish I could contribute a bit more on the blogging front. Oh well, at leastyou are going from strength to strength - glad to have put you on your way. Are you doing anything to celebrate the blog birthday? xxx